1) PhoneSoap Smartphone Sanitizer ($60)

One of the most important parts of spring cleaning is germ control. This is the time of year all these pesky germs come out of hiding. That and the rapid changes in weather make it really easy to get sick. And once one person in the house gets sick, it’s pretty near impossible to contain. One of the most bacteria-ridden items is your phone. You’re setting it down on germy surfaces all day and then putting it near your face and mouth- yuck. Well, now there’s the PhoneSoap Smartphone Sanitizer, which zaps away germs and bacteria using specialized UV lights. It also has a built-in phone charger and acoustic amplifier so you can charge your phone or listen to music while it works its cleaning magic. This device isn’t exclusive to phones, it can also be used on smaller items like pens, jewelry and watches.

2) Forpow UV Toilet Sterilizer ($60)

One of the more dreaded spring-cleaning chores is toilet scrubbing. This handy little device makes this chore significantly less gross without any additional strain. This gadget adheres to the underside of the toilet bowl and uses an ultraviolet ray lamp to zap away bacteria, odors, mold, and microorganisms.

3) Eye-Vac EVPRO Stationary Vacuum ($119)

Sweeping up little messes around the house can be tasking with a dustpan. You’re always bending over and there’s always that little bit of dust that you can’t seem to get into the pan (no matter how much you struggle). This little gadget has an infrared activation system so it’ll suck up any debris that is pushed toward it. It’s fairly affordable as well and has an easy-dump canister so everything goes straight into the garbage can with no spills.

4) Black + Decker Cordless Lithium Hand Vac ($60)

Any avid spring cleaners out there will know how difficult it can be to lug your giant vacuum around just to use the hose to get little counter spaces and hard to reach corners. Having to unplug it and re-plug it every other room makes this chore quite a…well, chore. This lightweight cordless vacuum takes the hassle out of that task. Much easier than dragging your entire vacuum around, this device has a rechargeable long lasting battery and makes picking up stubborn dirt and dust a lot more convenient.

5) iRobot Roomba 960 ($699.99)

Another vacuum? Be honest, clean floors are half of the spring cleaning battle. Now, if you’re someone who really hates this chore and you’re also someone with a little extra money, something like the iRobot Roomba 960 would be a great option. This device essentially takes care of this chore all on its own. It seamlessly navigates throughout your home, keeping track of its location along the way. It also has patented Dirt Detect Technology which has sensors that can recognize concentrated areas of dirt throughout your home, thereby prompting the robot to clean more thoroughly in those areas. It has a long battery life and will connect itself to the charger when the job is done. It even has a mobile app so you can schedule cleanings and receive mobile updates and diagnostics right on your phone.

6) WINBOT Robotic Window Cleaner ($399.99)

Another major part of spring cleaning is tackling all the glass surfaces in your home: windows, mirrors, shower doors, tables. Similar to the Roomba, this gadget allows you to take care of this task without lifting a finger. Simply attach the bot to the glass surface and it takes care of the rest. It’ll notify you with a friendly tune when it has finished it’s cleaning job.

7) Hurricane Spin Scrubber ($99.99)

Scrubbing out the bathroom can be one of the more labor-intensive spring cleaning chores. This chore is made a lot easier with a tool like the Hurricane Spin Scrubber, which uses a brush rotating at 300 RPM to remove stains easily and quickly. It’s also rechargeable and cordless, so it can be used anywhere from indoor to outdoor surfaces that need a good scrubbing.

8) Landroid Robotic Mower ($999)

Now that the snow is melting and the sun is shining bright again, there’s some outdoor cleaning and upkeep that needs to be done. One part of that being mowing your fresh patch of grass. Also similar to the Roomba in design, this programmable mower will mow your lawn all on its own. Not only can you customize its daily cutting schedule, but the device also has sensors which can detect if there’s rain so that it can retreat back to base. It’s even equipped with a very quiet motor so you have to option to program it to mow during the night, leaving your lawn open for play during the day.

9) iRobot Looj ($299.99)

The least favorite outdoor chore for many is cleaning out the gutters. This remote control device uses a four-stage cleaning process to remove gutter debris, making gutter cleaning a much safer and easier task. Looj can clean up to a 30 ft section of gutter in around 5 minutes, whereas doing that manually would take five times as long (on average). It’s also waterproof, which not only helps with we debris in gutters, but makes it easy to hose down when the job is done.          

10) CleanWave Sanitizing Wand ($69.95)

A more high-tech version of sanitizing spray, the CleanWave Sanitizing Wand uses UV technology to kill viruses, odor-causing bacteria, molds and other allergens. It uses similar tech to the PhoneSoap, but it’s portable so you can use it on germy surfaces all throughout the house. This is a nice alternative to chemicals and having your house overrun with the smell of cleaning fluid.  

Honorable Mention: To get your closet reorganized this season, it can be helpful to use purse racks, clothes racks, and hanger pockets. These products from Jokari are perfect for keeping your closet more organized and spacious for this spring season.

We’re very lucky to live in an age where some of the most daunting spring-cleaning tasks can be passed off to robots. Perhaps one day we’ll live in a world where the machines will even be able to organize our closets for us, too. Until then, these new innovations in cleaning tech are sure to allow your home to blossom.

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Roomba– From the moment the user presses the “clean” button, the Roomba takes over and calculates the room size.  While the Roomba is cleaning, the machine avoids steps and any other drop-off areas by using four-infrared sensors. These inventions, known as the cliff sensors, are located on its front-underside and are part of the iRobot’s AWARE Robotic Intelligence System. The AWARE system also is made up of multiple sensors that detect and collect environmental data that is sent to the robot’s microprocessor, which alters the invention’s actions accordingly.  So while you are watching TV or whatever else you may be doing, the robot will be collecting dirt, pet hair and other debris that is commonly found on your floors.

Winbot– We all know the song, “I Can See Clearly Now,” and it seems that this could be Winbot’s new theme song. From the moment the robot is removed from its box and attached to the window, the Winbot takes control. This 4.5 pound, square-shaped invention uses powerful suctions to hold itself vertical on the glass, allowing it to glide across the surface with ease. Additionally, the robot also can navigate its way around handles and the perimeter of the window on its own. This invention makes window washing easy and no longer a “pane” in the behind.

Robomow– From buying the gas, to pushing and pulling your lawn mower, mowing the lawn can prove to be a daunting task. The Robomow is currently the only robotic lawn mower on the market and touts that it mulches your lawn, leaving a professional-looking cut.  The question remains, how does the Robomow know how big or small the lawn is? All the user has to do is lay a wire around the outer edges of their lawn and attach it to pegs. This will allow the Robomow to recognize the wire and stay inside its boundaries.  Additionally, this invention has built-in sensors that detect rocks, trees and other obstacles.  All of these technologies, plus its Triple-Chamber-Mulching system and its 5800-rpm blade speed, will help cut your grass in no time.

Although these inventions don’t have a personality like Rosie, the maid from the Jetsons, they will help you avoid your dreaded household chores and still keep a clean house with a well-manicured yard!

Resources:

http://www.ecovacs.com/features/Winbot-Winbot%207%20Series.html#f170

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/home/robotic-vacuum2.htm

http://mashable.com/2013/01/10/winbot-hands-on/ http://www.pcmag.com/slideshow_viewer/0,3253,l=205743&a=205742&po=5,00.asp

http://www.digitaltrends.com/lifestyle/winbot/

Pictures:

http://www.wired.com/reviews/2012/08/roomba-790/

http://www.technologytell.com/gadgets/107636/winbot-is-a-window-cleaning-machine/

http://mashable.com/2012/09/27/household-robots/#gallery/5-household-robots/50d3362cb589e40263004056

Copyright Davison 2013

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The idea that robots could help out around the house with daily tasks, child rearing and companionship has been a staple in science fiction since Robbie the Robot from “Forbidden Planet” and Rosie from “The Jetsons.” So why aren’t more homes teaming with robot Robin Williamses? The short answer is “Do you really want Robin Williams in your house?” (OK, that was a question.) The long answer is that scientists might be getting close.

According to a Press Release from Hanson Robotics:

“Dmitry Itskov, founder of the 2045 Initiative and Global Future 2045 congress (GF2045) has announced that he will unveil the Dmitry Avatar-A head — the world’s most human-like android head — at the GF2045 congress, scheduled for June 15-16 at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City.

The Dmitry Avatar-A head is an exact robotic replica of the head of Mr. Dmitry Itskov himself and was created by award-winning roboticist Dr. David Hanson, founder of Hanson Robotics. Hanson is best known for his robotic androids of Albert Einstein and Philip K. Dick, and the latter will also be exhibited at the GF2045 congress.

Dmitry Itskov himself commented: ‘The world’s best two creators of state-of-the-art robotic faces — Dr. Ishiguro of Japan and Dr. Hanson — are speakers at our GF2045 congress. In this project Dr. Hanson pushed the state-of-the-art even further. This achievement shows that science is literally just a few steps away from being able to make an artificial human head and body shape that is extremely realistic and nearly indistinguishable from the original.

‘The Dmitry Avatar-A head represents the most expressive facial robot in history and far exceeds the life-like characteristics of previous robot portraits of humans in both technology and artistry,’ stated David Hanson. ‘The Dmitry Avatar-A head can establish eye contact, recognize faces, and carries out natural spoken conversation. In the case of Dmitry Itskov, the robot will be controlled by Dmitry, enabling the Avatar-A head to speak both Russian and English.

Facial expressions were created with 36 degrees of freedom (servomotors) with high-resolution sensors in the eyes. The Dmitry Avatar-A head also benefits from a new hyper-expressive formulation of Hanson’s proprietary nanotech material called ‘Frubber,’ a spongy, structured elastic polymer that expertly mimics the movement of real human musculature and skin using 1/20th the power of other materials, as well as new mechanisms for improved facial expressions, explained Hanson. The Dmitry Avatar-A head is built for real use and is designed as a whole system for practical deployment as a telepresence representative. According to Hanson, the Dmitry Avatar-A head represents “a leap into a bold new future. The age of avatars has arrived!(1)”

OK. But, we want our robots to clean the house as well as make eye contact. How about robots that keep tabs on your personal hygiene?

“Robot maker CrazyLabo and the Kitakyushu National College of Technology, both in Fukuoka Prefecture, have developed a female humanoid and a dog robot that sniff a person’s breath and feet and use snarky remarks and exaggerated reactions to encourage offenders to do something about their breath and body odor.(2)”

But a robot shooting you snide remarks about your teeth is far more expensive than simply inviting your mother-in-law over for dinner — a job she can accomplish in spades. We want a bit more bang for our buck.

The Wall Street Journal has reported on a $5,000 bot that can teach America’s children:

“This year, robots will be teaching everything from math to vocabulary to nutrition inside classrooms in California and New York, a move the researchers call a first in American education.

The Los Angeles experiment, scheduled to start later this spring, will use a robotic ‘dragon’ to teach first-graders about healthy lifestyle habits. Students will help show the robot how to prepare for a race; the hope is that by sharing tips with the dragon, they take their own lessons to heart.

At a Harlem elementary school, a robot named ’Projo’ works with students on math puzzles and more as part of an effort to connect with students.”

The robot in the Los Angeles trial costs about $5,500 when stylish touches such as fur, feet and wings are added. The effort is the first of several robot experiments planned and is backed by a five-year, $10 million grant from the National Science Foundation. It will be conducted by a coalition of researchers from Yale University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Southern California and Stanford University.(3)”

There is hope that robot friends are in our near future. But, since most robots with artificial intelligence being created today are built to serve a specific niche (playing chess, winning at “Jeopardy!” and teaching our children), we might have to wait a bit longer for this (4.)

Sources:

1. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/worlds-most-human-like-android-to-be-unveiled-at-global-future-2045-congress-lincoln-center-nyc-june-15-16-2013-04-25

2. http://ajw.asahi.com/article/economy/business/AJ201305070076

3.http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323820304578410730962208740.html

4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5YMEwX2-88

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